146 



THE MUSEUM. 



Northern Hare. 

 Leptis aincricanus, Erxl. 

 Not common and never has been to 

 my knowledge. I have never taken 

 it. Occasionally shot in the extreme 

 western part of this state and ranging 

 north. Called white jack by some 

 hunters. 



Gray Rabbit; Cotton Tail. 

 Lcpiis sylvaticiis, Bach, 

 Very abundant until about ten years 

 ago. About twelve years ago the in- 

 troduction of the ferret, used them up 

 and within a few years they became 

 very scarce. A very interesting spec- 

 ies. The young are raised in little 

 forms, in grass and leaves, and above 

 ground, as far as my observations go. 

 However, in cold weather, burrows of 

 woodchucks, skunk, and brush piles 

 are frequented by them. The com- 

 mon wild__^rabbit is excellent eating. 



Canada Porcupine. 

 Eretliir:on dorsatus, L. 



Often, and improperly called hedge- 

 hog. The porcupine is a well distri- 

 buted mammal in Michigan being 

 found from our southern tier of coun- 

 ties, to our extreme northern limits; 

 but is now scarce south of the 43rd 

 parallel, and is abundant north of the 

 45th degree. 



This animal is a great climber, and 

 is often found in the tops of tall trees, 

 where it feeds on the foliage. In truth 

 it spends much of its time well up from 

 the ground. It produces two young 

 to my knowledge, and these little fel- 

 lows will defend themselves with their 

 spines much after the manner of the 

 old ones. I have met with young less 

 than fourth si/e who were provided 

 with spines. 



The flesh of the porcupine is rank 

 and greasy, and attempts to cook and 

 eat it are always failures, excepting- 

 with hungry Indians. 



Jumping Mouse. 

 Zap lis hiidsonciiis, L. 

 Irregularly distributed and not gen- 

 erally known. Occasionally met with, 

 and generally in low sections, and 

 usually in forests or the edges of 

 swamps. This little mouse may be 

 easily identified by its remarkably long 

 tail and hind legs. Notwithstanding 

 its power to escape by jumping it is 

 not rarely caught with the hands when 

 scared from the nest. 



MUSKRAT. 



Fiber ::ibcthicus, L. 



This interesting mammal, called 

 musquash by the Indians, and water 

 rat is well distributed throughout the 

 country. Nests here largely in bur- 

 rows along the banks of running water 

 and also in the banks of small ponds 

 and marshes and lakes. Many of the 

 typical nests are to be seen on the 

 large lakes around the edge, antl in 

 shallow lily pad ponds. I have ob- 

 served their habits, more of late years, 

 along little brooks while fishing for 

 trout. The muskrats often showed 

 themselves, and played in plain sight 

 before observing me. I wish that I 

 might occupy space for an extended 

 article on their interesting habits. Am 

 satisfied that more rats, ten times 

 over, occupy habitations along the 

 banks of rivers, and smaller streams, 

 than build houses in marshes and 

 ponds. 



The musquash has man}' enemies be- 

 sides man, and his depredations are, or 

 rather, have been verv extensive until 



